Objectives
: Knowing that depression is common in institutionalized elderly and associated with loneliness, anxiety, and affectivity, we want to describe the evolution of depression over two years and identify which factors are associated with the development of depression. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, that encompassed two evaluation moments (2011 and 2013), 83 institutionalized elders were inquired, with age at baseline between 60 and 100 years, 79.5% women, 86.7% single and 72.3% with some type of education. The instruments included the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Loneliness Scale (UCLA-L), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI) and List of Positive and Negative Affects (PANAS). Results: Fifty-nine percent of the subjects maintained depression, and 10.8% developed depression. Elderly patients with depression had significantly worse outcomes in the UCLA, GAI and PANAS, and those who were not depressed had a higher positive affect. Regarding the evolution of depression, elders that maintained depression had high scores on the GDS, GAI, UCLA, and negative PANAS subscale, and low scores on the PANAS positive subscale at baseline. These elders showed an increase in the feelings of loneliness, anxiety symptoms, and negative affect over the two years. Those who developed depression had higher scores on the UCLA-L at baseline. Conclusions: We conclude that depression symptoms with or without loneliness at baseline, the worsening of loneliness, anxiety, and of the positive and negative affects may all be risk factors for the maintenance of depression. Loneliness may also be a risk factor for the development of depression.
Elderly; depression; loneliness; anxiety; affectivity; longitudinal
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